Thousands of carbon fiber bicycles end up in landfills each year, and we want to change that by helping to establish a take back stream for carbon fiber. Based on existing carbon fiber recycling programs used by the aerospace industry, we now have the ability to steer bikes away from the landfills and back into usable goods.

The process of recycling carbon fiber consists of chopping frames into smaller sections, then burning off the epoxy that holds the fibers together in an oxygen-free environment. This results in shorter fibers with the same properties as the original material, which can then be used in a variety of products. Besides keeping the frames out of landfill, we are able to recover carbon fiber while using significantly less energy than it takes to create virgin carbon fiber.

To begin to underwrite the effort of establishing a take back stream for carbon fiber, participating Specialized dealers will accept carbon frames from any brand that does not have a take back system in place and recycle them responsibly at no cost to you.